An INEC officer, identified as Alao Mutiu Kolawole, has reportedly tore the results for Osogbo Local Government Area (LGA)
-When quizzed by journalists, Kolawole said that his boss instructed him to tear the results without giving him any reason
An Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officer, Alao Mutiu Kolawole, who tore election results, has confessed to the crime. Kolawole has been arrested by security personnel.
When quizzed by newsmen, Kolawole said:“My EO simply called me to tear the election results, she didn’t tell me why.”
Meanwhile, there is serious tensions in Osogbo, capital of Osun state, as party supporters and officials of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are crying foul and accusing INEC of vote tampering on account of the declared results from Ayedaade Local Government Area, (LGA), Premium Times reports.
The opposition's reactions followed as the state INEC office declared 9,836 votes for the party in Ayedaade LGA, a result that party officials said was 1,000 votes less than what was earlier announced by the commission's officer in the area.
INEC officer, Alao Mutiu Kolawole, who confessed to tearing polls results
The results indicated that the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, scored 10,836 votes in Ayedaade while the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, scored 10,861 votes
The PDP's agent at the state collation centre promptly protested the figures, and was asked to seek clarifications from the officials who supervised the LGA elections. Officials later announced that they have reached understanding on the discrepancy with the PDP agent and that he had come to clarity on what was amiss. The officials said:“Every data matched, there was no case (of manipulation)”, according to the Ayedaade presiding officer.
Unsatisfied by what some term as a conspiracy inside the state collation centre however, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP spokesperson, said: “This is a deliberate plot by the returning officer to slash our votes by 1,000 in order to reduce our edge by over 500 votes.”
“This is totally unacceptable and we have appealed to INEC to immediately announce the original result right there. We will not allow them to rob us and now say we should go to tribunal.“This is clear, clear robbery and we will not accept it.
“We appeal to all Nigerians and international observers who have the interest of Nigeria’s democracy at heart to immediately call on INEC to retrace its steps right here and now.”
The tension arose as results from Osogbo were being awaited. For now, results from 29 of the total 30 local government areas of the state have been released and announced. Osogbo is the big prize that will finally decide who wins the polls.
As votes tally now, the governing party has so far won in 15 local governments, while the PDP has won in 11 local governments. The ADP has won in one local government (Iwo) while the SDP has won in two local governments (Ife East and Ife Central).
Rasheed Olawale, a spokesperson for Adeleke’s campaign said: “We raised the alarm in the dead of the night that they are changing results. This is a brazen stealing of peoples’s will and must be rejected.”
However, Oluwole Uzzi, a spokesperson for INEC, dismissed claims that the election results were tampered with.
Uzzi said: “But, since the collation is still ongoing, there is no need for anyone to conclude that a permanent decision has been taken on the matter. Let us wait for the final declaration.”
Jamiu Olawunmi, a spokesperson for APC’s candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, also took a similar position when reached for comments.
Although there are 48 parties and thus 48 governorship candidates cleared to contest for September 22 gubernatorial election in Osun state, about five of them are expected to be the major contenders jostling for the 1,246,915 votes in the state
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